Bicycle antenna
wsm...@cinci.rr.com
bike. I have used a Diamond 770 series dual band antenna on other
bikes with very good sucess. However, I have a new recumbent bike that
is giving me a little pause for thought. I have a couple of pictures
of the bike at:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1025520&a=12162755&f=0
On my other bikes I had a simple bracket to hold the antenna at the
rear end of the rack. But, as you can see, there is an aluminum
upright now in place to hold the cold weather/streamlining fabric. My
question is: If I mount the antenna bracket on the rack, what
problems am I going to run into with the close proximity of the
upright. I would think the maximum distance that I can separate the
two is about 4 inches. I am running almost exclusively 2 meters.
Thanks for any help.
Walt Smith, KB8ZQW
Harrison, Ohio
Member BMHA
W6RCecilA
>
> I need a little advice about mounting an antenna on the rear of my
> bike. I have used a Diamond 770 series dual band antenna on other
> I am running almost exclusively 2 meters.
You certainly need a flag on your bike. Simply attach a Pico-J to
the fiberglas flag pole. Worked for me.
--
http://www.mindspring.com/~w6rca
-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----
wsm...@cinci.rr.com
wrote:
>wsm...@cinci.rr.com wrote:
>>
>> I need a little advice about mounting an antenna on the rear of my
>> bike. I have used a Diamond 770 series dual band antenna on other
>> bikes with very good sucess. ...
>> I am running almost exclusively 2 meters.
>
>You certainly need a flag on your bike. Simply attach a Pico-J to
>the fiberglas flag pole. Worked for me.
Problem is, I already have the Diamond antenna, and also mounting a
flag (which I dislike) would be very difficult because of the fabric.
W6RCecilA
> Problem is, I already have the Diamond antenna, and also mounting a
> flag (which I dislike) would be very difficult because of the fabric.
Cars aren't looking for those kinds of bikes and very often don't
see them. Do yourself a big favor and get a flag - maybe two flags.
Richard Harrison
"I need advice about mounting an antenna on the rear of my (recumbent)
bike."
A picture of such appears on page 170 of Don Stoner, W6TNS`s NARA Ham
Radio Handbook (1991). Pictured is Steve Roberts, KV8OVA and his
"Winnebiko ll". He may offer advice.
Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI
wsm...@cinci.rr.com
wrote:
>wsm...@cinci.rr.com wrote:
>> Problem is, I already have the Diamond antenna, and also mounting a
>> flag (which I dislike) would be very difficult because of the fabric.
>
>Cars aren't looking for those kinds of bikes and very often don't
>see them. Do yourself a big favor and get a flag - maybe two flags.
Gentlemen, perhaps I haven't made it clear that I am asking for advice
about an antenna problem and not a bicycling problem. I have in excess
of 80,000 miles on bikes, and the last 8 years on recumbent bikes (the
ones that look like lawn chairs on wheels). I consiider myself to be
experienced AND safety concious and do not feel that I need a flag to
be safe. My lack of accidents or even close calls seems to back me
up.
My primary concern is if the fact that I want to have an antenna
running very closely in the same plane with the support for the
fabric, am I going to have reflection or directional problems. I can
use a rubber duck, but the range is not what I want. So I will again
ask for advice.
Walt Smith KB8ZQW
TimH
<wsm...@cinci.rr.com> wrote in message news:3ab7db0b.32737714@news-server...
KB9WFK
wsm...@cinci.rr.com
>Walt, Cecil is right. You really oughta put a flag on that bike
What? No smiley face? Sheez!
Fortunately, I am getting some valuable info off line.
Walt Smith
markwu...@sprintmail.com
Mark
KE6QCT
Martin Hibbs
Walt,
The (I assume) fiberglass mast shouldn't be any significant problem. The
flag (either plastic or cotton) should also have little or no effect even
when wet. Small and generally insignificant interactions may occur from
time to time depending on the moisture or insect saturation levels of mast
and/or flag. 8-) Install it, use it and enjoy.
marty...
N7MX
Rudy Marcelletti
separation of at least several inches between the antenna and the tube frame
you will be all right. The frame nearest the antenna could result in a
"nulling" effect in the direction from the antenna to the frame tube. If
you could relocate the mount to the highest point on the bike and ground
everything, you would do better. Rather than a flag, what about a separate
antenna mount farther back, or even way up front? You could even mount a
safety strobe on the pole. Maybe even a neon bulb that would blink when you
talk! Do you have a trailer for your bike? Mount the antenna on the
trailer and put your big battery and amplifier in the trailer. You could
even install a small beam. Carry a charger with you and plug it in when you
stop at gas stations and restaurants.
Seriously though--thanks for the bike post--it reminds me that I better get
busy and rig up my bike rack mount for the upcoming Kal-Haven Trailblazer
ride in May. Now, just where to mount that Mirage B1016G amp and big deep
cycle on my full suspension Cannondale Super V..........actually I am going
to simply put a trunk lip mount on an aluminum QD luggage rack, fashion some
sort of mount to hold a 4 or 7 AH SLA battery on the rack. I am either
going to carry a VX-5R in a chest harness and run jumpers, or separate and
attach an FT90R to the luggage rack and handlebar with a small remote
speaker. Since this is a railroad bed trail and very flat and straight, I
may do the latter.
wsm...@cinci.rr.com wrote in message <3ab7db0b.32737714@news-server>...
James S. Speck
forming a 19" one-inch spaced matching section at the lower end (locally
heating the stainless until red with a propane torch, and hand bending). I
would mount it on your bike by clamping the antenna to the rear sock support
with metal clamps. I'd feed the stub somewhere about 5" up from the bottom
of the "U" section with the coax (moving it as necessary to where it's
matched). A couple of coils in the RG-58 A/U coax feedline will serve as a
balun. This is an effective antenna I've used on single and tandem upright
bikes. I've got a Green Gear Sat-ur-day which is so far no-radio. 73, Jim
W5AI.
<wsm...@cinci.rr.com> wrote in message news:3ab63150.13092381@news-server...
Rudy Marcelletti
it. Perhaps a fiberglass safety flag with a J-pole made from 450 window
line taped to the flag would work better? I am simply going to install a
panel mount BNC connector to the aluminum luggage rack on my bike and mount
a rubber duck antenna on it. The added "ground plane" will greatly improve
performance over just the duck on the HT, and I have pretty good repeater
coverage where I ride anyway. Mind you this can be used on my road or
off-road bikes but just moving the rack to the other bike. Since Walt in on
a recliner, perhaps he is not as weight conscious as some folks, and maybe a
custom mounting bracket attached to the back and top of the seat would work
best. It would get the antenna out of the way and up high as well. I saw a
site somewhere a couple of years ago that had a ham operating HF on a
recumbent bike, as well as APRS and vhf/uhf. I think he towed a trailer
too.
James S. Speck wrote in message ...
wsm...@cinci.rr.com
<ru...@net-link.net> wrote:
>This sounds kind of heave as does using the Diamond antenna and a mount for
>it. Perhaps a fiberglass safety flag with a J-pole made from 450 window
>line taped to the flag would work better? I am simply going to install a
>panel mount BNC connector to the aluminum luggage rack on my bike and mount
>a rubber duck antenna on it. The added "ground plane" will greatly improve
>performance over just the duck on the HT, and I have pretty good repeater
>coverage where I ride anyway. Mind you this can be used on my road or
>off-road bikes but just moving the rack to the other bike. Since Walt in on
>a recliner, perhaps he is not as weight conscious as some folks, and maybe a
>custom mounting bracket attached to the back and top of the seat would work
>best. It would get the antenna out of the way and up high as well. I saw a
>site somewhere a couple of years ago that had a ham operating HF on a
>recumbent bike, as well as APRS and vhf/uhf. I think he towed a trailer
>too.
I think I have come up with an answer. I went to the local hardware
and found some 3/8" fiber glass rod, which is the same diameter as the
aluminum rod supporting the fabric on my bike. I think when I replace
the present rod with this I won't have the reflection problems I was
concerned with. I will try to get it completed this weekend and I will
report back.
Thanks to all for the constructive help. (Even though I still won't
use a bike flag ;-))
Walt Smith
Rudy Marcelletti
use a bike flag ;-))
Walt Smith
Walt--you should fly a little "pirate flag" flag on the top of your antenna!
The fiberglass rod sounds like a good solution, however, why not just mount
the antenna to the aluminum tubing thereby incorporating the aluminum, which
I assume is mechanically attached to the frame, into the ground plane scheme
of things. The more metal you have under this antenna the better it will
work!
W6RCecilA
> Thanks to all for the constructive help. (Even though I still won't
> use a bike flag ;-))
My Mommie always said, those who won't listen will surely feel. :-)
Stan Labinsky Jr.
<3abb6b59$0$88186$bbae...@news.net-link.net>:
Rudy;
Beware the idea of using the tube as a ground plane. What you have in mind
here is a coaxial antenna; a center fed vertical dipole. Both ends of that
dipole must be connceted to nothing, but insulators... not to the bike's
frame.
If the tubing were long enough, you could attach a quarter wave sleeve
(sometimes called a decoupling sleeve), to that support at its top, where
the antenna would be mounted. With the bottom end of that sleeve touching
nothing conductive! The closest thing that I can think of to use as an
example is an Isopole, with the bottom cone removed and with the upper cone
untapered.
This type of antenna was used on the old Ma Bell (yea, does go back quite'a
ways) VHF Hi-Band Mobile Phones. There are also some cell phone antennas
using an "elvated feed", but with all the streamled covering, it's hard to
see.
Stan
Rudy Marcelletti
Stan Labinsky Jr. wrote in message ...
>Beware the idea of using the tube as a ground plane. What you have in mind
>here is a coaxial antenna; a center fed vertical dipole. Both ends of that
>dipole must be connceted to nothing, but insulators... not to the bike's
>frame.
>
That is not what I had in mind. Simply mount the Diamond dual band antenna
he already has to the appropriate mount connected to the frame of the bike.
The more metal under the antenna the better--just like on a car. That is
why bigger vehicles generally have a bigger signal, all other things being
equal. That is why simply placing your HT on a vehicle improves
performance. If the antenna is not going to use the metal of the bike for
the return path, as in a J-pole, then by all means it must be isolated from
it and put up as high as possible. However, if a railing mount is used on a
bike tube, then the most metal that can be electrically bonded to the mount
should be. My rubber duck mounted on an approximately 5" x 14" aluminum
luggage rack works a lot better than when it s mounted on the HT!